Star Wars Force Band enables gesture control for BB-8 droid

Sphero, the company behind the universally beloved replica toy of the BB-8 droid from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, has announced a new wearable accessory for the hit tie-in gadget.

The wrist-worn Star Wars Force Band can be used to control the BB-8 toy (i.e. roll it around the place) using gestures, which make it appear like owners are actually commanding The Force.

Currently, owners control the droid from their smartphones, but the Force Band, out this autumn, places the controls on the wrist.

The device being shown off at CES 2016 this week is just a prototype, but multiple modes will be enabled by year-end, Sphero says. There’s no official word yet on pricing and release date just yet.See also: Star Wars: Battlefront review

If you haven’t grabbed a BB-8 droid yet, you may be pleased to know Sphero has also announced a new battle-worn edition, which will go on sale later this year.

You can see the Force Band in action in the video below. Doesn’t it look awesome?

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